Loose leaf binder



May 7, i935. A. G. LOTTER LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed July l5, 1933 am @Lgf/@f 5?/ Patented May 7, 1935 UNiTED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOOSE LEAF BINDER Application July 13, 1933, Serial No. 680,223

3 Claims.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in loose leaf binders and refers more particularly to ring binders of the type forming the subject matter of Letters Patent No.

1,758,327, issued to Adolph G. Lotter, May 13,

It is an object of this invention to improve and simplify the means for attaching the covers and back of the binder to the ring carrying mechanism.

Another object of this invention is to improvev the general appearance of the binder.

More specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide a channel-shaped metal back plate having covers attached thereto and tting over the ring carrying and shifting mechanism to provide a neat protecting enclosure therefor.

With the above and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularlyY defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the herein disclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, l'. have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention constructed according to the best mode I have so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof,

and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view looking at the under side of the ring carrying mechanism showing the ring sections separated, part of the mechanism being broken away; l

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the back and adjacent portions of the covers; and

Figure 3 is a cross section view through the complete binder.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawing in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, the numeral 5 indicates generally the ring carrying and shifting mechanism and the numeral 6 designates the back and cover assembly.

The ring carrying mechanism consists of an inverted channel-shaped base plate 'I on the top side of which two ring carrying plates 8 are mounted for transverse sliding movement. These plates 8 carry substantially semi-circular ring sections 9, which when the plates are brought together, form complete rings as illustrated in Figure 3.

The opposite ends of the base plate 1 are turned over the ends of the plates 8 as at I0 to retain the plates 8 assembled with the base plate.

Longitudinally slidably mounted between the side flanges II of the base plate isy a ring shifter bar I2. This bar has a plurality of cam slots I3, each having a straight and an inclined portion in which studs I4 fixed to the plates 8 are received.

The studs I4 also pass through transversek slots I5 in the base plate. Hence, upon longitudinal shifting of the bar I2, theplates 8 are moved` laterally to engage and separate the ring sections 9. To facilitate shifting of the bar I2, a handle` I6 is formed on one end thereof to project beyond the adjacent end of the ,base plate.

As will be readily apparent from the disclosure, the engagement of the studs I4 in thestraight portions of the slots I3 precludes accidental separation of the ring carrying plates, and to prevent accidental shifting of the bar I2, a spring urged friction lock II is provided.

This lock may be of any suitable construction and in the present instance, comprises merelyv a spring plate riveted to the underside of the bar I2 with its upper end extending through an opening in the bar to engage a friction point carried at the outer free end thereof with the undersurface of the base plate 1.

At three longitudinally spaced points, the base plate 'I has counterbored openings I8, two of which liey above the shifter bar I2. To afford access to these two openings I8 from between the shifter bar, the bar has elongated openings I8 (only one of which is shown in View of the fact that the central portion of the mechanism is broken away). Received in the counterbored openings I8 are the outer ends of connecting studs or rivets I9 to secure the ring carrying mechanism to the back and cover assembly 6, the connecting studs or rivets being xed to the back.

The cover and back assembly 6 consists of a channel member or back plate 20 of relatively thin but stiff metal having side anges 20 connected by a central web 2|. The side edge portions of the web 2| directly inwardly of the flanges 20' are curved as illustrated in Figure 3 to reduce the abruptness of the corners and thus add to the appearance of the binder. The rivets I9 are rigidly secured to the web 2I with their heads counter-sunk and flush with the outside surface of the back plate.

Mounted on the rivets i9 are spacing collars 23, which, as illustrated in Figure 3, are recessed to receive the projections of the base plate formed by the counterbo-re of the openings I8, to positively and securely space the back plate from the base plate. Thus, when the parts are assembled, a rigid connection is established between the two plates.

Prior to assembly, of the back plate and the ring carrying mechanism, the covers 24 are attached to the baci: plate. The covers are preferably bound with leather or other suitable flexible material which is applied in a single pieceglued or otherwise secured at its medial portion to the outer face the-baci plateand extended out over backing sheets 25. The backing sheets may be of rigid or semi-rigid material and the marginal edge portions of this ileXible binding material are folded over the backing sheets 25.

The inner surface of the back plate is covered with a piece of fabric 2% the edges of which extend out over the backing sheets 25 of the covers. The backing sheets are spaced from the edges of the flanges E0 and the fabric 26 is folded down into this space to define hinge joints 27. The inner surfaces of the covers have finishing sheets 28 glued thereto which extend out over the folded edges of the outer covering material and over the fabric 26.

It is to be noted that the channel-shaped back plate is slightly wider than the channel-shaped base plate and that when the units are assembled the base plate nests within the baci: plate with the flanges of the two members overlapping as shown in Figure 3. In this manner, the ring separating mechanism is completely concealed and protected and inasmuch as the back plate is wider than the ring sections or any other portion of the binder lwhen the sections are closed, the covers extend evenly from thel edges of the back thus greatly improving the appearance of the binder and facilitating handling` thereof.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, that this invention affords a simple manner of attaching the back and covers of a ring binder to the ring carrying mechanism and that it improves ther appearance of such binders considerably.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a loose leaf binder, separable ring sections, a base plate channel-shaped in cross sec; tion, means on the outer face of the base plate to separably mount the ring sections, a back plate channel-shaped in cross section and wider than the base plate, means to connect said plates with the base plate nested in the back plate, mechanism to shift Vthe :ring sections disposed in the space between the nested back and base plates, and covers carried by the back plate.

2. In a loose leaf binder, a base plate channelshaped in cross section, separable ring sections, s'idewise shiftable members on the outside face ofthe base plate to mount the ring sections for movement to and from closed position, a longitudinally shiftable bar underneath the base plate and lying within the hollow thereof, means operable upon longitudinal shifting of said bar to move said ring section carrying members, aback plate channel-shaped in cross section, said back plate being wider than the base plate to extend beyond the sides thereof, means to rigidly connect the back plate to the base plate with the inner face of the back plate facing the base plate and cooperating therewith to form a housing for said longitudinally shiftable member, and covers attached to said back plate.

3. In a loose leaf binder, a base plate channelshaped in cross section and having transverse slots, separable ring sections, flat sidewise shiftable members on the outside face of the base plate to mount the ring sections for movement to and from closed position, the combined width of said flat sidewise shiftable members being no greater than that of the base plate so that when the ring sections are closed said. flat members do not project beyond the base plate, a longitudinally shiftable bar underneath the base plate lying within the channel thereof and-having diagonal slots complementary to said transverse slots, means extending through the base plate transverse slots and bar cam slots and connecting said bar with the sidewise shiftable members whereby longitudinal shifting of said bar moves the sidewise shiftable members to open and close the ring sections, a back plate channel-shaped in cross section, said back plate being wider than the base plate to extend beyond the sides thereof, means to rigidly connect the back plate and the base plate in face to face relation to form a housing for said longitudinally shiftable member, and covers carried by said back plate.

r ADOLPH G. LOTTER. 

